Who's The Dupe?: "It requires genius to make a good pun - some men of bright parts can't reach it"

By Hannah Cowley

Hannah Cowley was born Hannah Parkhouse on March 14th, 1743, the daughter of Hannah (née Richards) and Philip Parkhouse, a bookseller in Tiverton, Devon. As one might expect details of much of her life are scant and that of her early life almost non-existent. However, we do know that she married Thomas Cowley and that the couple moved to London where Thomas worked as an official in the Stamp Office and as a part-time journalist. Her career in the literary world seemed to happen rather late. It was whilst the couple were attending a play, thought to be sometime in late 1775, that Cowley was struck by a sudden necessity to write. Her first play, a comedy called The Runaway was sent to the famed actor-manager, David Garrick. It was produced at his final season at the Drury Lane theatre on February 15th, 1776. It was a success. She wrote her next two plays, the farce, Who’s the Dupe? and the tragedy, Albina, before the year was out. Getting these two plays into production took much longer and involved a very public spat with her rival Hannah More over whether Cowley’s works had been plagarised by More. Cowley wrote her most popular comedy in 1780; The Belle's Stratagem. It was staged at Covent Garden. Her next play, The World as It Goes; or, a Party at Montpelier (the title was later changed to Second Thoughts Are Best) was unsuccessful, but she continued to write and there followed another seven plays; Which is the Man?; A Bold Stroke for a Husband; More Ways Than One; A School for Greybeards, or, The Mourning Bride; The Fate of Sparta, or, The Rival Kings; A Day in Turkey, or, The Russian Slaves and The Town Before You. In 1801 Cowley published perhaps her greatest poetical work. A six-book epic "The Siege of Acre: An Epic Poem”. That same year Cowley retired to Tiverton in Devon, where she spent her remaining years out of the public spotlight whilst she quietly revised her plays. Hannah Cowley died of liver failure on March 11th, 1809.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stage Door
• Release date: Jun 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781787373952

Book preview

Who's the Dupe? by Hannah Cowley

A FARCE. IN TWO ACTS.  AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRE-ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.

Hannah Cowley was born Hannah Parkhouse on March 14th, 1743, the daughter of Hannah (née Richards) and Philip Parkhouse, a bookseller in Tiverton, Devon.

As one might expect details of much of her life are scant and that of her early life almost non-existent.

However, we do know that she married Thomas Cowley and that the couple moved to London where Thomas worked as an official in the Stamp Office and as a part-time journalist.

Her career in the literary world seemed to happen rather late. It was whilst the couple were attending a play, thought to be sometime in late 1775, that Cowley was struck by a sudden necessity to write.

Her first play, a comedy called The Runaway was sent to the famed actor-manager, David Garrick. It was produced at his final season at the Drury Lane theatre on February 15th, 1776.  It was a success. She wrote her next two plays, the farce, Who’s the Dupe? and the tragedy, Albina, before the year was out.

Getting these two plays into production took much longer and involved a very public spat with her rival Hannah More over whether Cowley’s works had been plagarised by More.

Cowley wrote her most popular comedy in 1780; The Belle's Stratagem. It was staged at Covent Garden.

Her next play, The World as It Goes; or, a Party at Montpelier (the title was later changed to Second Thoughts Are Best) was unsuccessful, but she continued to write and there followed another seven plays; Which is the Man?; A Bold Stroke for a Husband; More Ways Than One; A School for Greybeards, or, The Mourning Bride; The Fate of Sparta, or, The Rival Kings; A Day in Turkey, or, The Russian Slaves and The Town Before You.

In 1801 Cowley published perhaps her greatest poetical work.  A six-book epic The Siege of Acre: An Epic Poem.

That same year Cowley retired to Tiverton in Devon, where she spent her remaining years out of the public spotlight whilst she quietly revised her plays.

Hannah Cowley died of liver failure on March 11th, 1809.

Index of Contents

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

WHO'S THE DUPE?

ACT I

SCENE I.—The Park

SCENE II.—An Apartment at Mr Doiley's

SCENE III.—A Dressing Room

ACT II

SCENE I.—An Apartment

SCENE II.—A Drawing Room

Hannah Cowley – A Short Biography

Hannah Cowley – A Concise Bibliography

Scenarios of Some of Her Plays

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

Doiley,  Mr Dowton.

Sandford, Mr Holland.

Gradus,  Mr Bannister.

Granger, Mr Decamp.

Servant, Mr Evans.

Elizabeth, Miss Dormer.

Charlotte, Miss Mellon.

WHO'S THE DUPE?

ACT I

SCENE I.—The Park

Flower GIRLS, and several PERSONS passing.

1st GIRL

I vow I han't had a customer to-day. Summer is coming, and we shall be ruined.—When flowers are plenty, nobody will buy 'em.

2nd GIRL

Aye, very true—People talks of summer; but for my part, give me Christmas. In a hard frost, or a deep snow, who's drest without flowers and furs? Here's one of the captains.

[Enter SANDFORD.

Flowers, sir!

SANDFORD

I have no silver.

2nd GIRL

Bless your honour! I'll take gold.

SANDFORD

Indeed.

2nd GIRL

Here's hyacinths, and a sprig of myrtle.

SANDFORD

I'd rather have roses. What will you take for these?

[Pinching her cheek.

2nd GIRL

I can't sell them alone—the tree and the roses must go together.

[Enter GRANGER.

SANDFORD

Ah! Granger, by all that's fortunate. I wrote